Device for charging or discharging liquid-tanks.



Patented .Iune IU, |902.

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

S. W. MILLER.

(Applic'ation led June 8, 1901A DEVICE FOR CHARING 0R DISCHARGING LIQUID ITANKS.-

@wf/ffl? I (No Model.)

No. 702,066. A Patented :une lo, |902. s. w. MlLLEn.

DEVICE FOR CHARGING 0R DISCHARGING- LIQUID TANKS.

(Appncatmn med .time 6,;1901.; ,(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

, I/ weu @a `A UNITED STATES- PAT'ENT YCFFICE.

SIDNEY W. MILLER., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS DEVICE Fon c'HAReING 0R DISCHARGlNG cumulo-TANKS.

SPECIFICATION forming .part of Leners fram-.nt Navoaoec, aata June 1o, 1902.

i. Application filed J'nne 6', 1901'. Y

Chicago, in the county of Cook' and State of Illinois, have invented certain ynew'and use-'- ful Improvements in Devices. forl Charging or Discharging Tanks; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and

exact description thereof, reference being had ner as to permit'the tank whose discharge is to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for intermittingly charging or discharging liquid-tanks and when employedV for discharging tanks operates in such mancontrolled thereby after being filled toremain lled for a certain determinate period of time before being emptied.

The invention is herein shown as adapted for intermittingly discharging the contents of ilter or'bacteria beds of a sewage-purifying plant; but it will be obvious from the following that the apparatus may be em'- ployed wherever itis desired to intermittingly charge or discharge a liquid-tank.

The invention consists in the matters here? inafter set forth, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

- In the drawings, Figure l illust-rates a plan view of one end of a tank for containing a iilter or bacteria bed and provided with my improved apparatus for discharging the contents of the bed. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section on line 3 3 of Fig. l looking in the direction indicated by theV arrow. Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic View illustrating the Water-levels in the several parts of the apparatus just before the apparatus has been brought into action. Fig.'5 is a similar diagrammatic view of the parts, showing the Water-levels after the apparatus has been brought into action and the liquid emptied.

Referring to the drawings, Arepresents a tank adapted to contain afilter or bacteria 'bed to which sewage after leaving the aseptic sarai rimasti. cio moans lThe tank A in practice contains a body of jgranular materialto which the sewage Vis eX- posed'for the purpose'of-.producing therein a bacteriological effect, as Iis Well known to :those acquainted with this art, and .it is necfessary'that the sewage Ybe exposed to this body of material for certain 'periods of time, v

depending upon the character of the sewage trated anddescribed in .prior United States Let-ters Patent No. 449,083, granted to me on 'March 24, 1891; lofsiphon is a convenient one, it is to be understoodthat I am not limitedtothe con-I While this particular form struction herein shown,.but may use other suitable forms of such devices.

The siphon C comprises van intake-limb C',

'themouth of whichi's located near the bottom of the tank, and a discharge-limb C2. The longer or discharge limb of the siphon dis- Vcharges through a U-shaped trap when the liquid seal in said trap is broken.- The intake-limb C in this instance has the form of ay bell or dome, which surrounds theuppery end of the longer' leg orA discharge-limb C2 of the siphon. The upper or discharge end of lthe trap C3 discharges into a drain D, made substantially like that shown in the said prior patent 'and which leads to a suitable place for the' disposal of the liquid emptied from the tank A. v

E designates an auxiliary venting-tube ot inverted-U shape, the longer leg of which .passes through the upper part of the bell and into the top of' the long leg of the siphon C and the shorter. leg of which is located o utside of and at the side of said bell.

likel that of the construction set forth in my prior patent,abovereferred'to, with the exception that instead of being automatically The chamberB is emptied by an automatic Siphon C, which is shownas vmade generally like the construction illus- The operation of the automatic siphon is Io: l

started in operation by the liquid head in the tank B means are provided which supplement y the action of the liquid head in Said tank for Starting said Siphon in operation and constructed to delay the operation of Said Siphon beyond the period of filling of the tank B. For this purpose the chamber B and the discharge-Siphon therefor are So proportioned that the highest practical obtainable level of liquid in the chamber B in the usual operation of the system will not start the dischargesiphon G into operation, the pressure produced therein at this time being insufficient to counterbalance the weight of the liquid in the trap C3. The introduction of an additional pressure in said Siphon is therefore depended upon to Start the Siphon in operation, Such additional pressure Serving to break the seal in the trap, with the result of Starting siphonic action.

The auxiliary device for supplementing the action of the Siphon C is made as follows:

F designates a chamber or compartment located, as herein Shown, at one side of the chamber B and preferably with its bottom at a lower level than that of the chamber B.

G designates a small pipe leading from the chamber B and discharging into the chamber F. Said pipe is provided with a controllingvalve g, and the induction end of the pipe is preferably located in a mass of ltering material G' ator near the bottom of the chamber B. Located Within the chamber F is an auxiliary Siphon H. Said Siphon consists of a short intake-limb H, the mouth of which is located near the bottom of Ithe tank, and a discharge-limb H2. The shorter leg of the Siphon, as herein Shown, is made of a bell or dome Shape and is made of greater diameter proportionately to the discharge-limb of the Siphon than the bell or dome C. The lower end of the longer leg of the auxiliary Siphon is extended and communicates with the longer leg of the trap C3 of the principal Siphon C by means of a small pipe H3, which enters the` longer leg of Said trap below the level of the discharge end thereof. Said Siphon H is provided With a venting-tube I, which is made of inverted-U form, having one leg longer than the other, the longer leg being inserted into the upper end of the longerleg H2 of the auxiliary Siphon, while the Shorter leg is located outside of Said pipe within the bell and having its inner end Slightly below the lower margin of Said bell. It may be here observed that the venting-tube I may be used in place of the venting-tube E, and vice versa.

The operation of the device is as follows: As the tank A gradually lls with sewage the level of the liquid in the chamber B rises conjointly with that in the tank A, and at the Same time the liquid rises in the bell or the Shorter leg C of the discharge-Siphon C. AS Said liquid rises in the shorter leg of the siphon it compresses the air which is confined between the Same and the liquid in the trap C3. Suitable controlling devices will in practice be provided in connection with the mains for supplying sewage to the tank A, so that when a certain predetermined level of the liquid is reached therein the Supply of liquid will be Shut olf. The same effect may be produced by providing the chamber B with an overflow B, located near the top of said chamber and which prevents the water rising beyond a certain level in said chamber. Said overflow B may be employed where it is not objectionable to discharge the liquid outside the chamber B; but, as before stated, in practice it will be preferable to supply the tank A through a Suitable controlling device which will regulate the amount of liquid discharged into Said tank. At the time the liquid-supply to the tank is shut off the head in the tank B is not Sufficient to bring the Siphon Cinto operation. lVhile the chamber B is being filled and after the level of the liquid has reached the highest point ot the pipe G, leading to the chamber F, Said latter chamber will begin to Slowly ill. As the pipe G is much smaller than the pipe A',

through which the chamber B is filled, and

as the chamber F does not start to be filled until after the `chamber B is almost filled, a;

ing of the chamber F, and during this time the Sewage in the tank A is being subjected to the filtering material therein. The time required for illing the chamber F may be` regulated by the Valve g, whereby the tank A may stand filled for a longer or shorter time, as required. During the time the chamber F is being filled the liquid rises in the` bell H or Shorter leg of the auxiliary Siphon and compresses the air in Said Siphon and in the con meeting-pipe H3, leading to the trap of the principal Siphon C. The pressure thus produced in the auxiliary Siphon and connecting-pipe H3 continues until it is sufficient to overcome the pressure in the principal siphon, at which time the water in the longer leg of the auxiliary Siphon and the connecting-pipe H3 is forced into the trap of the principal Siphon. After the water has been forced from the longer leg of the auxiliary Siphon and the pipe H8 the pressure in the auxiliary Siphon isrcommunicated to the principal Siphon and causes the water both at the trap and in the bell C to be depressed, and the transmission of such pressure is continued until, combined with the pressure already existing in the longer leg of the principal Siphon,it is Sufficient to overcome the seal in the trap C3 and start the Siphon C in operation. Thereafter the operation of the principal siphon is like the prior construction Shown in the aforesaid patent, the Siphon continuing its operation until the chamber B is emptied tothe level of the mouth of the Shorter leg of the Siphon. After the principal Siphon is Setin operation the auxiliary Siphon IOO iliary Siphon and connecting-pipe H3 just be-V fore the pressure is sufficient in the auxiliary Siphon to force the water o ut of the pipe H3 and break the seal therein. Before this occurs the water in the pipe HS constitutes a seal to prevent the escape of air from the principal Siphon to and through the auxiliary Siphon, and of course after such clearing of the` pipe H*s occurs the pressure in the auxiliary Siphon counterbalances Ythe pressure in the main Siphon and prevents Such escape.

The diagrammaticview in Fig. 4c illustrates the level of the liquid in the trap CS after the chamberB has been lled and when the chamber F has been nearly filled, the seal insaid directions to depress the liq'uid inthe shorter leg of the principal Siphon and the trap there-` of. After the water in the trap C3 has been depressed below the level of the end of the pipe H3, which discharges into said trap, the

pressure within the Siphon C and its trap drives the water backwardly a little distance into the pipe H2, which causes the level of the water in the pipe H2 to rise, as indicated in Fig. 2; but owing to the si'ze ofthe pipe H3 and the consequent friction therein the. air will not be permitted to escape from the Siphon C through the pipe and auxiliary si phon. A seal is'therefore maintained in saidpipe H3, which prevents premature operation` of the Siphon C. Obviously the sloping of the outer end of the pipe H3 below the horizontalwill produce the same result even though a y rise above the pipe H8 such distance that the column of water in said pipe H2 will give, when balance'the'pressure produced in the main' Siphon by the head of water inthe receptacle B, as otherwise the pressure in themain Si.

phon would force the water out of thepipes H2 and H2, with the resultof breaking t-he seal formed by 'the water in Said pipes and permitting premature operationof 'theinainsiphon It will be noted,"furthermore,that by reason of the connections described between the auxiliary and principal siphons the auxiliary chamber F will always be-emptied below the level of the mouth of the intake-limb of the Siphon 'H and permit the Siphon to be ventilated,

thereby insuring uniform sequence of opera- 'the water is forced bafckwardly into the pipe A VH3,'suf[icient pressure to more than countertions so long as'the liquid is delivered to the tank A with practical uniformity.

I claim 'as my invention- T l. The combination with a tank or receptacle, of a Siphon having a sealed trap at its discharge end, said trap being so proportioned that the maximumliquid head in said'tank is insuicient to start the siphon'in operation, of means for producing pressure inpsaidsiphon to Start the operation thereof compris'- ing a pipe communicating with said Siphon and having a sealed discharge end, and means acting to produce air-pressure in said pipe which pressure is transmitted tothe Siphon to force the seal in the trap thereof.

2. An apparatus for the purpose setforth comprising a chamber, a Siphon having a sealed trap at its discharge end, and means for'starting the si phon into operationembiracing a Second receptacle or tank and a Siphon connected with thensame and provided with a Sealed discharge end'which communicates withthe main Siphon. n l l 3.' An apparatus for-the purpose set forth comprising a chamber, a Siphon having a trap at its discharge end andmeans "forstartmg the said/Siphon into operation'comprising a second'chamber to which water is suppliedv for starting said'main Siphon comprising a second chamber, and a Siphon in said second chamber the discharge end of which extends into the said main Siphon below the level of 2 the 'water seal of the trap at the' discharge end of said main Siphon.

5. The combination with aprincipal Siphon and an auxiliary Siphon -which latter dischargesintoand through the principal Si phon, of means affording a seal between Said prinauxiliary Siphon.

cipal Siphon-and the discharge-limb of the" auxiliary chamber, and a Siphon in the auxiliary chamber, the discharge-limb of which enters the trap of the principal Siphon below the normal liquid-level thereof after each op eration of the Siphon.

7. The combination with a tank or receptacle, of a Siphon therein having a Sealed trap at its discharge end, the said trap being so proportioned that the maximum liquid head in the tank is insuliicient to start the Siphon into action, and means for producing pressure in said Siphon to Start the Same, comprising a pipe communicating at one end with the Siphon and having a Sealed discharge end, a chamber with Which the other end of the pipe communicates, and means connected with said pipe in Said chamber acting to produce pressure in the pipe and to transmit the same to the Siphon upon the rise of Water in Said chamber, said parts being constructed to empty Said chamber through said pipe when the Siphon iS brought into action.

8. An apparatus for the purpose set forth comprising a chamber, a Siphon having a sealed trap at its discharge end, said trap being so proportioned that the maximum liquid head in the tank Will not Start the Siphon into action, and means for Starting the Siphon into operation embracing a second receptacle or tank and a Siphon connected with the Same and provided with a Sealed discharge end which communicates with the main Siphon.

In-testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix my Signature, in presence of two Witnesses, this 28th day of May, A. D.

SIDNEY XV. MILLER. \Vitnesses:

W. L. HALL, GERTRUDE BRYon. 

